The “Silent Film Era” was the foundational period of film history that saw the earliest innovations to cinematic storytelling. This era of filmmaking from the 1890’s to the 1920’s lacked the ability to record synchronized sound as we recognize it today, but also set forth many technical achievements that are still utilized today. Films of this period were forced to convey emotion and narrative through the visuals only, leading to many stylistic movements that relied on the expressiveness of the performances and tools such as production design, lighting, and editing to tell a story. We discuss Metropolis (1927) directed by Fritz Lang near the end of the silent film era before comparing it to Modern Times (1936) directed by Charlie Chaplin at a period transitioning to “talkies.”


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